The present invention relates to aquatic swim training devices or training aids in swimming or swim training to improve muscular condition and/or enhance user stroke technique by forcing the user to engage shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, hands, and fingers in the optimal hand and arm position during strokes to maximize efficiency in swimming.
Modern training aids for use in swim training are often employed to increase muscular condition and/or technique in users. The basic function of many hand paddles is to increase the effective surface area of the hands to increase resistive force capable by the hand and paddle, which increases the speed of swimming and provides more rigorous exercise for various muscles. Previously patented training aids disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,621,693, U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,042, U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,233, U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,036, U.S. Pat. No. 7,147,526, U.S. Pat. No. 7,179,146, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,496,506 relate to paddles that provide resistance for increased speed and muscle training, but they have a limited ability to improve stroke technique and hand position.
Other paddles, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,998, focus on the size and shape of the paddle as a means of creating a torque on the paddle. However, the paddle itself has no means of forcing the user into the proper hand position or even any means of informing the user where this position is, forcing the user to determine the proper hand position with limited reinforcements.
Modern swimming techniques and training methods attempt to improve efficiency in swimming strokes and focus on a maximum amount of propulsive force for each stroke. This efficiency depends on the positioning of a swimmer's hands and forearms perpendicular to their movement, maximizing the normal force. Training aids, including hand paddles, are often employed, and it is an objective of the present invention to reinforce the desired optimal hand positions by monitoring and/or preventing improper positions.